In a day that swung with very little notice from blazing sunshine to torrential downpour, we spoke to people at the festival about what they want from a City of Culture. The Cart’s play module proved a draw – and not just to small children – as well as a place to pause amongst the busy-ness and noise of the festival.

At the end of the day, the team sat together to share our findings: and it was the young that had been the focus of many of the day’s conversations. The City of Culture needs to provide sustained opportunities for families to play together, and offer young people fun and engaging ways to gain the social and life skills that they so desperately need since the places the older young generation gained theirs are now cut or closed. Structured and sustained opportunities for cultural interventions by older young people, who are often better able to relate to young people should be the focus of a City of Culture project…

The Cart was at the Embracing Africa festival organised by The Highlife Centre in Broadgate on 22nd July 2017. The guest artists were Laura Nyahuye, Liz Mytton, Paul O’Donnell, Mark Hancock, and TJ Mponela.